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Child-soldier demobilization in South Sudan critical: UNICEF advocate

Xinhua, November 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

As fierce fighting continues in parts of South Sudan despite a peace agreement signed in August this year, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) advocate Ishmael Beah stressed on Friday the importance of demobilizing child soldiers at this critical juncture.

Beah, a former child-soldier in Sierra Leone, told press via a telephonic conference from Juba that "the only reason these children went to war is because it was the only choice they had."

"Most don't want to go to war but if the peace treaty is not respected then they will be left with no choice but do so," he added.

Travelling to South Sudan with UNICEF to meet and talk to former child soldiers and warring factions, Beah has been advocating for the release of child soldiers and their re-integration into their respective communities and families.

Since the beginning of 2015, the situation for South Sudanese children has worsened, with some 16,000 having been associated with armed forces or groups.

"This is a crucial moment to demobilize children and support programs on the ground," Beah said, adding that the African nation "is at a crossroads, the situation could go either way."

Since conflict erupted in the young nation in December 2013, around 900,000 children have been internally displaced, and as many as 1,500 have lost their lives, figures showed. Endit